Best form of money to bring....

There seem to be contradictions with this-advice please? I can bring Aussie$ TC's,Visa card ( debit or credit?) or buy yen on arrival in Japan? Best is...?

I'll tell you right off the bat you wont' have much consensus here either.

I usually take a combination of cash (exchanging it in Japan) and using my credit card and debit cards. I don't take traveler's checks.

Thats how I usually do my trips and never had a problem yet.

Thanks J. So I arrive yenless at 5pm Narita. Can I get a large amount of yen then for $AUS ,or change a small amount and look for a 7/11ATM for my Visacard near Ueno Station at say 8pm?

I'm a bit confused, you say change to JPY then to AUS $??

Or maybe just a mistype.

Yes you can change AUS Cash into JPY.

While you're at Narita Airport, just utilize the ATMs right at the airport, there are international ATMs including post offices at the Airport if you need it. Kill two birds with one stone while you're at it.

Otherwise yeah, you can find a 7-11 or post office around Ueno or elsewhere in Tokyo to pull out money from your card too.

So carry a mixture of cash and cards usually works out. If you want you can take some TCs too. Some people travel with a mixture of all three for diversity. I just carry cash and cards.

...for help. BTW that read "get yen for $aus."

I found that travelers cheques enjoy a considerably better rate of exchange at banks and post offices. Many/Most have separate exchange rates for cash vs TC's. So I got mostly TC's when I first came over to Japan.

However, it usually costs a bit of a fee at your Australian bank to buy the traveler's cheques (both AUS dollar or JPN yen cheques) so unless that fee is small or otherwise waived, cash might be a better option...? TC's are definitely safer though as they can be cancelled.

I find that TC's are a good bet either way. It's up to you though.

...ideas. In Oz we can get TC's at the P.O. no charge and recash them free too. Think I'll get them as first choice and the Visa card as backup.
Thanks

I don't know whether Japanese ATMs accept Aus debit/credit cards, but (I'm British, and) whenever we've been to Japan we just use ATMs with our normal UK debit cards. The ATMs in Post Offices (of which there are many, and there's often one in/near the train station so they're handy on arriving somewhere) take UK cards, and (apparently, though I've not tried it yet) in 2007 the ATMs in 7-11s (again, of which there are many) will also take UK cards.

Hope that helps

would it be possible for japan-guide.com administration to have a a very big bold heading above the questions sections asking to newcomers how to check the most F.A.Qs? we keep repeating some questions forever. .

When you click to ask a question, it says in bold to search for related questions, not to mention most of the topics might already be covered in the Japan guide pages itself, some people just ignore all of it, and ask the question anyways.

I'm not very fond of the layout of Japan-guide forums, I prefer the more bulletinboard style, with moderators, registration, etc, , but I can understand the maintenance that has to go with that format too, so it might be difficult for the runner(s) of Japan guide to do so.

...however no clear answers were forthcoming,Sensai. It may be irritating to you (your problem) but each time someone is visiting Japan it's a necessary question. Go read other postings instead if that's a problem.

Let me say that it depends which currency you have, as to whether it's better to exchange here in Japan or elsewhere. I'm an Aussie living in Japan.

I've looked long and hard at this question. If you have USD and you travel to Japan, it seems best to exchange your USD for Yen in Japan.

On the other hand, if you have any other currency, it looks like you are better to exchange it elsewhere. This is the case for Australian dollars. (I'm talking about a CASH transaction, not TT)

For example, the current exchange rate is about 93 yen/AUD.

If you exchange at the airport in Australia, you will get about 90yen/AUD. If you exchange at the airport at Narita you might get as much as 87yen/AUD (but maybe not!!). If you exchange at a Japanese bank, you will get about 84yen/AUD. (or about 9 yen off the nominal rate)

If you exchange USD at a Japanese Bank (nominal is about 113yen/USD), you will get about 110yen/USD, which is only 3 yen adrift of the nominal rate.